


Strength and courage when others would see you fall

by CustardCreamies



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-09 07:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15262506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CustardCreamies/pseuds/CustardCreamies
Summary: In a world where soulmates feel each others pain, Mark can feel the intense pain from the injury Sebastian does to his neck and wonders about the strength Sebastian has to keep going despite how much it hurts to do so.





	Strength and courage when others would see you fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [prompt_fills](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prompt_fills/gifts).



> So I saw soulmate AU as an request and Martian and I just had to write something about the injury Seb did to his neck and what would happen if Mark had to feel that pain too due to being his soulmate. This was super fun to write!

“.....And that, my friends, is why Mercedes are currently losing the Championship.” Eddie finishes with a proud beaming smile, sat at his little desk in the Channel 4 office with a cup of tea steaming in front of him and a notepad, stolen from Ted, in front of him.

Susie gives Eddie an unimpressed look from her desk, phone in hand from where she had been showing Steve a video of little Jack crawling over to Toto. “Wow Eddie, I’m fully expecting you to picket outside of Mercedes next. Toto needs some more fun in his life.”

“I’m just speaking the truth Susie.” Eddie replies, eyes flickering to the television monitor in the room. It was Saturday and the team were waiting to go on air for qualifying. Currently free practice three was in progress and the sleek silver Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas was on the screen completing another lap. “Speaking of fun, why hasn’t Vettel left the garage yet?”

Mark looks up at his words, noting the absence of Sebastian from the timing screen. “Maybe they’re changing something on the car? An issue maybe?” He rubs absentmindedly at his neck, he had begun to get a sharp twinge in it and it was killing him. He cursed himself for sleeping on the hotel sofa the night before, having a row with Sebastian had not been on the cards for him.

The triple header had finally started taking its toll on them both and they had done what they usually never do, gone to bed angry. Mark had decided on ignoring Sebastian today, but he knew if Sebastian was in the top three there was no avoiding him then as he was doing the post quali interviews. Mark knew he was being childish over the matter but he couldn’t bring himself to care about it.

Eddie just shrugs. “It might make qualifying more interesting if Sebastian can’t get on pole. It would be nice to see Red Bull fighting the Mercs for once.”

“This isn’t a Red Bull track.” Susie points out. “And the Mercs are strong.”

“Oh of course the one married to Wolff would point that out.” Eddie rolls his eyes and glares at Susie over his glasses, “I bet you’ll satisfy Toto tonight.”

As Susie is about to throw her pen at him, Steve quietly intervenes, “Mark? Hey, Mate? You’ve gone pale, everything okay?”

The arguing presenters turn around at Steve’s words to stare at Mark, who had indeed gone pale and looked to be in a lot of pain.

“I don’t know...it’s my neck. It really hurts.” Mark winces, a hand on his neck. The pain kept coming and going, sharp and then dull. Sharp and then dull again. He wasn’t even moving his neck and the pain was incredibly intense. This didn’t feel at all normal.

“Did you twist it?” Steve asks in concern and Mark awkwardly shrugs, not wanting to move his neck.

“I slept on the sofa last night, maybe that is the cause.” Mark replies, but then he gasps as the pain gets even worse and a whimper escapes his lips, tears pricking his eyes.

The team are instantly concerned and rush over to him, not noticing Lee entering the office as they surround him.

“What’s going on here?” Lee takes them in with wide eyes and it’s Susie that replies.

“Get a medic, Mark’s hurt his neck.” The Scot’s voice is firm and commanding and Lee looks even more concerned, a flicker of understanding coming into her eyes. She approaches Mark and lowers herself down so she can face him.

“Mark this isn’t your pain. Sebastian’s hurt. He’s done something to his neck.” Lee explains softly, concern in her eyes. “He’s with Antti right now.”

Mark feels his stomach drop at the realisation this isn’t his pain but Sebastian’s and before he can think he’s grabbing his jacket and racing out into the paddock, his only thought being to get to Sebastian and fast.

* * *

Mark and Sebastian realised they were soulmates the hard way. It was 2010. Valencia. What had started out as a perfectly normal race quickly turned into disaster.

Lap nine ended the race for Mark. An airborne shunt with Kovalainen effectively destroying his race. He was lucky to escape with his life.

Upon exiting the car Mark found he was lucky. Only cuts and bruises being evidence of the massive shunt. It could have been so much worse.

Sebastian won the race that day and later on in his hotel room he started to feel sore and bruised. He was confused, a little post race soreness was normal, but not this. His skin felt littered with cuts and he felt badly bruised.

Now that the adrenaline and excitement had gone from his system he could finally notice what was wrong.

Sitting on the edge of the bathtub in his hotel room, he pulled up his shirt and gasped at the aray of deep dark bruises littering his skin and the cuts that felt like they were being pulled. He thinks back to the race, of Mark’s Red Bull flying through the air. Of the debris scattered around the track, and he swallows.

His soulmate was Mark and he could have lost him today.

Without a second thought he got up from his bed and ran from his room, ignoring his protesting muscles as he raced to Mark’s room and knocked on his door. Mark opened after a few minutes and Sebastian wasted no time showing him the marks on his skin. Exactly like his own.

Mark had pulled the German into his room without another thought.

* * *

They had gone through quite a lot together after that. 2013 being their worst year together, until Mark decided to save their relationship by retiring. It had done them a world of good. Without Helmut breathing down both their necks they could focus on each other, and their soulbond grew strong again.

It was very strong right now. The stress of racing each other having vanished from the bond, leaving just who they were. Mark and Sebastian. Strong together after all these years.

Mark makes his way to Ferrari, the pain coming and going, and enters the garage. He finds Maurizio outside Sebastian’s room door and makes his way over.

Maurizio breathes a sigh of relief at seeing him, his eyes gentle and understanding. “He’s fine. He’s just done something to his neck over one of the curbs. Antti is seeing to him now.”

“Can I see him?” Mark asks quietly, not liking how intense the pain was right now.

Maurizio nods and opens the door to allow the Australian into the room. Sebastian was sat on the massage table with Antti behind him, eyes closed and fists clenched as Antti tried to soothe his pain. His eyes open at the sight of Mark and a tight pained smile appears on his face. “Liebe.”

At the gentle affectionate pet name under all that pain, Mark crumbles and he moves over to Sebastian, taking his hand. “Hey there. What have you done?”

Sebastian makes a small sound as Antti moves over a particularly sore spot and Mark winces at the feel of it. “I think one of the curbs did something. I’ll be fine to qualify.”

“Are you sure? This really fucking hurts Mate.” Mark says softly, squeezing Sebastian’s hand in his to comfort him and himself.

“Gotta show Merc they need to be scared.” Sebastian gives him a look. “I’ve dealt with worse pain before.”

Mark knows what he means, the day they both wondered if being soulmates was worth it all and he swallows. “Yeah...worst pain..”

Sebastian squeezes his hand again, looking at him and only him. “I can do it.”

“If anyone can it’s you.” Mark murmurs, squeezing Sebastian’s hand reflexively as Antti kneads out another painful spot.

Sebastian flashes him a winning smile, his eyes clouded with pain. “Wish me luck?”

Mark takes their joined hands and presses a kiss on his knuckles. “Kick his arse.”

The pain he feels increases tenfold but Sebastian doesn’t even react. His racer’s instinct taking over. Mark Knows Sebastian wants this, no matter how badly it hurts.

* * *

Mark is in agony.

He’s not even sure if that’s the right word.

He can barely move his head for fear of causing more pain, but it’s not his own so no matter what he does the ache just gets worse and worse.

Susie gets concerned about him and gets him to sit down but Mark barely notices Susie’s mother henning, his eyes remaining glued on the screens. He feels his heart sink when Sebastian misses pole by 0.44.

Mark puts on a brave face for the crowd when he interviews Sebastian, but he knows his boyfriend is in agony. The pain is intense and raw, but all Sebastian does is smile and grin. For all the world he is uninjured if only for the bandage giving it away.

Mark knows in a wolf pack an injured wolf does not show any sign he is hurt, for if he does it could lead to his death. Sebastian is a wolf among a circle of wolves who would love nothing more then to pounce on his weakness. Sebastian won’t give them a chance to. Mark knows this. He knows it very well.

That night Mark cuddles Sebastian in his arms, a heat pad around Sebastian’s neck, and he feels a twig of guilt go through him as he speaks aloud the words he knows would hurt Sebastian. “Do you need to race?”

Sebastian blinks in surprise and raises his head to look at him. “That’s like asking me if I need to breathe.”

Mark was expecting that answer and he sighs. “I’m just worried about you.”

Sebastian’s jaw sets and he slowly sits up so he could see more of Mark’s face in the soft moonlight filtering through the room. “I am not giving up for anything.”

And Mark knows that is the end of the conversation.

* * *

Race day dawns bright and clear, not a cloud in the sky, and Mark’s sense of dread seems to lift in his heart. The pain has lessened, it’s still painful but now he feels like he can actually think.

Sebastian goes down to see Antti and at last he gets offered some relief. A shot of pain relief is injected into his neck and Mark breathes out a sigh of relief as the pain lessens. Antti tapes up Sebastian’s neck again and Mark brings the German in for a sweet kiss.

“Kick his ass.” Mark says again softly and Sebastian gives him a bright grin. No matter what, Sebastian keeps on smiling. Another thing Mark knows.

* * *

The race is intense. Thankfully for Mark the painkillers work and the ache he feels from Sebastian is dulled by drugs and adrenaline, but the worry he has for him is strong. Sebastian had taken a commanding lead of the race, but incidents during the race and a safety car had now given the lead to Valtteri.

Mark holds his breath as Sebastian chases after the Mercedes, his neck beginning to twinge again as he watches Sebastian battle for the lead. The pain was increasing for him lap by lap and Mark fought to not let it show, he didn’t want to show everyone how much his boyfriend was hurting.

Soon the pain reaches a crescendo and Mark believes that Sebastian cannot keep that pace in that much pain, but once again his boyfriend proves him wrong and provides the crucial overtake to win the race.

Mark has never felt so much relief as he watches Sebastian cross the finish line first. He keeps well back as usual as Martin Brundle does the Parc Ferme interviews, but he keeps watch. He takes in the happy grin, how Sebastian holds his head up high as the pain lashes through him. He’s not showing any weakness, not to the crowd, not to the media, and especially not to his fellow drivers. He’s a lion, a wolf. Something strong and wild and powerful. Nothing and no one could hurt him or take him down.

Mark knows this. Just as he knows Sebastian. A soft soul with the heart and spirit of a lion. His true love and soulmate.

He has never been so proud of him in all his life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment/kudo if you enjoyed! :D


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